Reoxidized nitrided oxide (RNO) is a promising candidate for application as the gate dielectric in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). Certain properties of RNO provide it with some distinct advantages over conventional silicon dioxide. Besides being less sensitive to ionizing radiation and to channel hot carrier stress, RNO acts as a superior barrier to the diffusion of contaminants from the gate into the substrate. RNO also exhibits a substantially improved charge-to-breakdown value. A singular drawback of RNO has been its characteristically lower inversion layer mobility, particularly for n-channel devices.